The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a fresh mystery-adventure game that promises an exciting journey through time. Guided by director Koichiro Ito, known for his work on Metal Gear Solid V, and supported by Yasuhito Tachibana, the producer of Netflix's 'The Naked Director,' the game blends beautiful live-action footage with intriguing mysteries. This combination creates highly immersive gameplay that draws players into the story.

In this game, players follow a chain of murders that span across a century. There are four murders, each set in a different time period: the 1922 murder case, the 1972 murder case, and the 2022 murder case. Each episode features three key parts: the Incident phase, the Reasoning phase, and the Solution phase. This design allows players to step into a captivating world of mystery as they explore these time periods, collecting clues and piecing together a complex 100-year storyline.

The heart of the narrative revolves around the Shijima family, who have endured a series of unusual deaths. When Haruka Kagami, a budding mystery writer, arrives at the Shijima home, she is pulled into four murder cases that unfold at different points in history. The story is rich with elements like the red camellia and the Fruit of Youth, symbols that herald tragedy, leading players toward the truth that lies beneath the surface.

As players take on the role of Haruka Kagami, they engage in the gameplay that challenges their wits against the murder cases. Each case unfolds in three phases. During the Incident phase, players witness the murder as it happens, from start to finish. The clues needed to unravel the mysteries are hidden within the video itself. Then, in the Reasoning phase, players gather the clues and mysteries they find to form hypotheses. They can create multiple hypotheses, although not all will be correct. Some findings might mislead them.

Finally, players reach the Solution phase, where they must determine the killer based on the hypotheses they created earlier. When confronting more cunning culprits, they may try to dispute players’ claims, requiring sharper reasoning to counter their arguments.

Overall, The Centennial Case offers a thrilling story steeped in mystery and features engaging detective game mechanics. With interactive narrative elements and immersive storytelling, it invites players to experience timeline exploration and deep clue integration. Solving mysteries becomes a rich experience of hypothesis creation and cognitive space play. The game combines innovative video storytelling with compelling gameplay, making it a must-try for any mystery enthusiast looking to uncover the truth.